Understanding ebola virus transmission

doi:10.3390/v7020511

Review

. 2015 Feb 3;7(2):511-21.

doi: 10.3390/v7020511.

Understanding ebola virus transmission

Seth Judson¹, Joseph Prescott², Vincent Munster³

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. sethdjudson@gmail.com.
² Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. prescottjb@niaid.nih.gov.
³ Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. munstervj@niaid.nih.gov.

PMID: 25654239
PMCID: PMC4353901
DOI: 10.3390/v7020511

Review

Understanding ebola virus transmission

Seth Judson et al. Viruses. 2015.

. 2015 Feb 3;7(2):511-21.

doi: 10.3390/v7020511.

Authors

Seth Judson¹, Joseph Prescott², Vincent Munster³

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. sethdjudson@gmail.com.
² Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. prescottjb@niaid.nih.gov.
³ Laboratory of Virology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. munstervj@niaid.nih.gov.

PMID: 25654239
PMCID: PMC4353901
DOI: 10.3390/v7020511

Abstract

An unprecedented number of Ebola virus infections among healthcare workers and patients have raised questions about our understanding of Ebola virus transmission. Here, we explore different routes of Ebola virus transmission between people, summarizing the known epidemiological and experimental data. From this data, we expose important gaps in Ebola virus research pertinent to outbreak situations. We further propose experiments and methods of data collection that will enable scientists to fill these voids in our knowledge about the transmission of Ebola virus.

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Figures

**Figure 1**
Potential routes of Ebola virus transmission and infection between people. Ebola virus (EBOV) has been isolated from bodily fluids including blood, stool, semen, saliva, and breast milk [6]; contact with these fluids from infected individuals creates a high risk of transmission. These infectious fluids can also be formed into droplets which travel in the air (range unknown, possibly 1 meter) and potentially infect others. EBOV has been detected in dried blood and persists on surfaces, so the possibility of fomite transmission exists. Airborne transmission via small aerosol droplets is unlikely from current EBOV epidemiology.

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References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Virus Disease. [(accessed on 21 November 2014)]; Available online: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/history/chronology.html.
1. Reed D.S., Lackemeyer M.G., Garza N.L., Sullivan L.J., Nichols D.K. Aerosol exposure to Zaire ebolavirus in three nonhuman primate species: Differences in disease course and clinical pathology. Microbes Infect. 2011;13:930–936. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2011.05.002. - DOI - PubMed
1. Johnson E., Jaax N., White J., Jahrling P. Lethal experimental infections of rhesus monkeys by aerosolized Ebola virus. Int. J Exp. Pathol. 1995;76:227. - PMC - PubMed
1. Borio L., Inglesby T., Peters C.J., Schmaljohn A.L., Hughes J., Jahrling P., Ksiazek T., Johnson K., Meyerhoff A., O’Toole T., et al. Hemorrhagic fever viruses as biological weapons: Medical and public health management. JAMA. 2002;287:2391–2405. doi: 10.1001/jama.287.18.2391. - DOI - PubMed
1. Piercy T., Smither S., Steward J., Eastaugh L., Lever M. The survival of filoviruses in liquids, on solid substrates and in a dynamic aerosol. J. Appl. Microbiol. 2010;109:1531–1539. - PubMed

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[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Virus Disease. [(accessed on 21 November 2014)]; Available online: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/history/chronology.html.

[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Outbreaks Chronology: Ebola Virus Disease. [(accessed on 21 November 2014)]; Available online: http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/history/chronology.html.

[3] Reed D.S., Lackemeyer M.G., Garza N.L., Sullivan L.J., Nichols D.K. Aerosol exposure to Zaire ebolavirus in three nonhuman primate species: Differences in disease course and clinical pathology. Microbes Infect. 2011;13:930–936. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2011.05.002. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Reed D.S., Lackemeyer M.G., Garza N.L., Sullivan L.J., Nichols D.K. Aerosol exposure to Zaire ebolavirus in three nonhuman primate species: Differences in disease course and clinical pathology. Microbes Infect. 2011;13:930–936. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2011.05.002. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Johnson E., Jaax N., White J., Jahrling P. Lethal experimental infections of rhesus monkeys by aerosolized Ebola virus. Int. J Exp. Pathol. 1995;76:227. - PMC - PubMed

[6] Johnson E., Jaax N., White J., Jahrling P. Lethal experimental infections of rhesus monkeys by aerosolized Ebola virus. Int. J Exp. Pathol. 1995;76:227. - PMC - PubMed

[7] Borio L., Inglesby T., Peters C.J., Schmaljohn A.L., Hughes J., Jahrling P., Ksiazek T., Johnson K., Meyerhoff A., O’Toole T., et al. Hemorrhagic fever viruses as biological weapons: Medical and public health management. JAMA. 2002;287:2391–2405. doi: 10.1001/jama.287.18.2391. - DOI - PubMed

[8] Borio L., Inglesby T., Peters C.J., Schmaljohn A.L., Hughes J., Jahrling P., Ksiazek T., Johnson K., Meyerhoff A., O’Toole T., et al. Hemorrhagic fever viruses as biological weapons: Medical and public health management. JAMA. 2002;287:2391–2405. doi: 10.1001/jama.287.18.2391. - DOI - PubMed

[9] Piercy T., Smither S., Steward J., Eastaugh L., Lever M. The survival of filoviruses in liquids, on solid substrates and in a dynamic aerosol. J. Appl. Microbiol. 2010;109:1531–1539. - PubMed

[10] Piercy T., Smither S., Steward J., Eastaugh L., Lever M. The survival of filoviruses in liquids, on solid substrates and in a dynamic aerosol. J. Appl. Microbiol. 2010;109:1531–1539. - PubMed

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Understanding ebola virus transmission

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Understanding ebola virus transmission

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